Do Farm Subsidies Cause Obesity? Dispelling Common Myths About Public Health and the Farm Bill

It is often argued that farm subsidies have led to the overproduction of commodity crops, and removing these subsidies would help combat obesity by discouraging overproduction of crops that are the base ingredients of unhealthy foods. This white paper analyzes the public health and agricultural economic literature and primary and secondary agriculture policy documents to More

Healthy Food Availability and Participation in WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) in Food Stores Around Lower- and Higher-Income Elementary Schools

This paper examines the range of food outlets around lower- and higher-income urban schools and compares the availability of healthy food items in those stores. It also examines whether stores accepting vouchers for WIC, a federal program for improving health and nutrition of lower-income mothers and their children, have more healthy items available than stores More

SNAP to Health: Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) to Assess the Nutrition of Youth, Ages 4-19, Participating in SNAP

Given the significant reach and service the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance program has for lower-income populations most vulnerable to food insecurity and poor nutrition, there is an urgent need to obtain data about the nutrition of children who participate in SNAP to determine what foods are being consumed. This analysis was designed More

Food Insecurity and Weight Status Among U.S. Children and Families: A Review of the Literature

Food insecurity disproportionately affects U.S. demographic groups of children and adults at greatest risk for obesity and may lead to weight gain through various pathways. This article presents a comprehensive summary of the current literature on the relationship between food insecurity and weight status, and the role federal food and nutrition assistance programs may play More

Responses to the Changing WIC Package Among Small Food Store Retailers in the United States: A Mixed Methods Study

The Healthy Eating Research (HER) Corner Store working group, comprised of HER grantees conducting research in this topic area, undertook a research project that builds on existing projects in multiple communities around the United States. Each of the eight participating sites in seven states produced in-depth interviews with small store owners and managers. The interviews More

Food Insecurity and Risk for Obesity Among Children and Families: Is There a Relationship? A Research Synthesis

In the United States, nearly 15 percent of households are food insecure; they have limited or uncertain access to food. This research synthesis reviews studies that examine the relationship between food insecurity and obesity in the United States, particularly involving children and families. Because of the policy implications inherent in examining this issue, the authors More

Planting the Seeds for Public Health: How the Farm Bill Can Help Farmers to Produce and Distribute Healthy Foods

Resulting from a detailed legal analysis of the 2008 Farm Bill, this report finds that lack of information about yields and prices for fruits and vegetables has undermined farmers’ ability to make them more widely available and accessible. The report highlights the barriers the agriculture community faces in providing access to healthy foods, and provides More

Food Systems and Public Health: Linkages to Achieve Healthier Diets and Healthier Communities

The Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition produced a special journal issue highlighting papers and discussions from the April 2009 conference, “Food Systems and Public Health: Linkages to Achieve Healthier Diets and Healthier Communities.” The conference convened more than 100 leading researchers and practitioners nationwide from the health, nutrition, obesity and health policy arenas, as More